TYND 86

From the next day, the hunting tournament took on a different tone. Those who’d opposed the inclusion of the dolls deliberately avoided the marked beasts and hunted only real wild animals. However, 

“Ah, you caught a wild deer? Three of them? Ah, right. Ahem. Well, I caught a doll dear. I caught a doll dear, you hear me?!”

“I heard even His Grace had managed to only catch five dolls on the first day.”

“Lord Aeruhen caught three, they say.”

“If even aura knights are struggling that much, it must be really difficult!”

“Keep it down, all of you. Think about this poor fella here who could only manage real wild beasts.” 

“Oh dear… I’m sure you’ll bag a doll tomorrow.”

“Buck up. The opportunity to catch a doll will come for sure.”

Because the dolls moved so erratically and proved so challenging that catching actual animals had somehow become something to look down on. Now, to prove one’s hunting ability, one had to go after the doll beasts. 

So even those who’d opposed the dolls began hunting. Being Northerners through and through, they quickly became hooked on the rush and satisfaction that came from succeeding such challenging hunts. Moreover, those who caught doll beasts received compensation of equivalent value for what they would have gained from real animals: pelts, fur, horns, meat and such. These came as synthetic pelts, fake fur, or Eastern continent crafts and gold coins.

When the hunting tournament concluded after ten days, both nobles and commoners praised Rothy for creating dolls that were superior to the real thing. They didn’t forget to praise Theon either, for looking to the future and pushing through with the dolls despite some opposition.

At the closing ceremony, Theon looked down at the crowd cheering and chanting his and Rothy’s names, then glanced at the empty space beside him.

Rothy couldn’t attend the closing ceremony.

The archmage had fallen ill.

He’d been perfectly fine on the first day, but enchanting hundreds of creatures daily and scattering them throughout the vast Falsen territory would strain even an archmage. The weather turning colder hadn’t helped either.

After the closing ceremony ended, Theon hurried back to the estate. Outside the bedroom door, Ultje was hovering with a tray holding a kettle, a water glass, and medicine. 

“Ultje.”

“Your Grace!”

“What’re you doing out here? What about the medicine?”

“I haven’t’… my apologies. I couldn’t bring myself to wake him.”

“You should’ve anyway.”

Theon took the tray from Ultje and entered the bedroom. The room was stiflingly hot, enough to make someone mistaken it for summer. On the large bed, Rothy lay curled up, small and still. Seeing him sleeping peacefully under the thick duvet, his cheeks flushed and eyes puffy, Theon understood Ultje’s reluctance. 

But the medicine had to be taken. 

Fortunately, Rothy responded well to fever reducers, so he’d need to take it before he could be put back to sleep. 

“Rothy, please wake up for a moment.”

Theon couldn’t even bring himself to shake him. He simply sat on the edge of the bed and gently placed his hand on that small shoulder that was beyond warm, it was burning hot.

“Rothy.”

Screeing!

Chi-chi, who’d been sleeping curled up next to Rothy, opened its eyes. The look it gave Theon was like it was asking why he was disturbing Rothy who was sick and swatted at Theon’s fingers with its paw. Theon allowed himself to be hit and called Rothy’s name again, louder this time.

“Rothy, wake up.”

“……”

His eyelashes fluttered before opening his eyes. Those normally brilliant green irises were slightly clouded, but after blinking a few times and recognising who was before him, they quickly regained their sparkle.

“Theon… did the closing ceremony go well?”

“Yes, everyone was chanting your name.”

Theon helped Rothy sit up on the bed. 

Rothy took the medicine Theon gave him and slowly drank some water. Theon pressed the back of his hand to Rothy’s cheek and forehead, finding them burning like hot coals. He scowled, but Rothy just smiled drowsily and nuzzled his cheek against Theon’s hand. 

“It was so much fun… I’m glad you caught the most… let’s do it again next year, and the year after…”

“We’ll see. If you collapse like this again, I’ll have to reconsider the whole wooden dolls business.”

“I’ll get stronger. And in the future, there’ll be lots of assistant mages to help me…”

Rothy’s body went limp like jelly. Theon wanted to let the exhausted Rothy sleep, but he needed time to digest the medicine, so he had no choice but to prop him up. 

Theon’s arms were wrapped around a small body, still flushed and warm. Rothy had pressed himself into his chest, and the weasel had crawled into his embrace as well, so in the end, Theon was left holding both of them together.

“Rothy, my clothes are dirty, and I haven’t washed either.”

“No, Theon has never been dirty. Not even once…”

“……”

“I love Theon so much… I mean it. I’ve always loved you… I never thought I’d get to hold you like this in the same bed…”

He could tell the fever and medicine had stripped away Rothy’s usual careful filter. Watching him ramble while burning up was pitiful to see… 

But he also found it unbearably cute and loveable. 

Theon ran his thumb over Rothy’s cheek. The skin beneath his fingers felt impossibly soft and pliant. It was as if someone had coated it with something addictive. 

“But it bothers me that he’s called ‘Archduke’ too…”

“I didn’t know the fallen had archdukes. I don’t like it… ‘Archduke’ should be wonderful, and beautiful, and good… Why should one of them be called an archduke…?”

Theon thought Rothy’s flow of consciousness was quite random but also rather amusing.

“Your Grace… I’m being really childish, aren’t I…?”

So he’d thought it was childish and kept it to himself.

Theon patted Rothy and smiled. 

“No need to worry. I’ll kill that archduke three years from now.”

“Just hearing ‘kill that archduke’ makes me feel sad…”

“……”

“I know you mean the Fallen archduke and not yourself… but hearing you say you’ll kill an archduke makes my heart lurch and goes ‘thump-thump’…”

Rothy grabbed Theon’s large hand from around his waist and dragged it up his chest. Theon could feel Rothy’s rapid heartbeat knocking against his palm. He rubbed Rothy’s chest in gentle circles to soothe him. 

“Then shall we come up with a different name for the Fallen archduke?”

“A different name?”

“Yes, something tasteless, horrible, and ugly.”

“That’s a really good idea. Are you a genius, Theon…?”

Rothy hummed, deep in thought. But it seemed nothing came to his mind. Medicine could make even the most brilliant mind foggy headed. 

“How about ‘Fallen Robber’?”

“I want something even more horrible and ugly…”

‘The Collector’ wouldn’t work then. Theon crossed off one of the options. 

“Hey, what about ‘Fallen Bastard’…?”

Rothy suggested, then immediately added, 

“Is that too harsh…?”

Theon found Rothy so adorable that he could help pressing a kiss to his forehead. The battlefield had been a place where profanity flew fast and thick. He’d spent six years in that sort of environment, and he still thought ‘bastard’ was harsh? How could that not be precious?

“That’s perfect. Let’s call it the ‘Fallen Bastard’ from now on.”

“Mhm.”

“I’ll inform the temple as well.”

“Thank you, Theon…”

Rothy smiled bashfully and squirmed about, but his eyelids kept drooping. Every single one of his doll-like lashes seemed heavy with sleep. Theon checked the time on his watch, now confirmed as a tremuhle. Rothy needed to stay awake for another ten minutes before he could sleep. 

Rothy seemed aware of this too because he was deliberately shifting and fidgeting to fight off the drowsiness. In the process, they ended up facing each other. Seeing Theon’s serious expression directly in front of him made Rothy blinked and Theon quickly caught Rothy before he could fall backwards. Rothy went completely limp, trusting entirely in Theon’s supporting arms as he studied his face. 

“How can anyone be this handsome…”

“……”

“How is Theon holding me like this…? It feels unreal… I never even imagined something like this could happen…”

He was muttering more to himself than to Theon. After hesitating for a moment, Theon prodded him.

“On the battlefield, did you take Yolone Sirin’s form?”

“……”

Theon had anticipated several possible reactions when he asked. He’d imagined Rothy turning pale, having a fit, bursting into hiccups, making a tearful face, or trying to deflect it. 

He’d expected something dramatic. 

But in reality, Rothy just blinked his sleepy eyes before lowering his eyes. 

“I figured you’d realise eventually…”

“……”

“I slipped up by saying that…”

The slip-up clearly referred to when he’d said, ‘Right now… I just want to enjoy this sea of red……’.

That was the moment Theon’s suspicions began to grow. He’d been crushed by guilt when he learnt that Rothy had participated in the war for the past six years in some other form. And now, having confirmed that form had been Yolone Sirin… he was overcome with even greater self-reproach. 

“I really didn’t want you to find out……”

“Why?”

“Because you’d hate me… for deceiving you.”

“I suppose Yolone Sirin fed you that excuse. But it’s the opposite.”

Theon caught Rothy’s chin with one hand, looking directly into those sorrowful green eyes and said.

“Now that I know the Yolone Sirin who occasionally behaved differently was actually you.”

“……”

“Everything finally makes sense… and I’m deeply sorry.”

“……”

“You’ve become even more precious to me.”

Rothy’s eyes wavered like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.